provoke

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Every kennel here is full when we visit and many of them are covered by screens, because some of the dogs are so volatile our presence could provoke them.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

A top Iranian official is warning that attacks on the Persian Gulf islands that form Iran’s southern maritime frontier would provoke a new level of retaliation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

But before the U.S. launched its airstrikes, the Gulf governments had been resisting the prospect of a U.S. attack, fearing that it could provoke a regional conflict that would envelop them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

But know that whatever you say or do, however benign, can be weaponized to provoke a reaction, and as much as we try, everyone has their breaking point.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

A mortgage created in early 2005 might have a two-year “fixed” rate of 6 percent that, in 2007, would jump to 11 percent and provoke a wave of defaults.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis